By this time, the drumbeat in Kalua’s head had attuned itself so accurately to the subedar’s paces that he knew exactly when the lash was uncoiling through the air, and he knew, too, exactly when to pull his hand free. As the subedar came rushing forward, he torqued his torso on the fulcrum of his waist and snatched the lash out of the air as it was curling towards him. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it snaking back so that it looped itself around Bhyro Singh’s ox-like neck. Then, with a single, flowing sweep of his arm, he pulled the lash tight, jerking it with such force that before
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